Convenience Store Sales Gain Ground

ALEXANDRIA, VA -- There is some good news in the latest industry report from the Association for Convenience & Fuel Retailing, which still goes by NACS. The NACS State of the Industry Report for 2012 is based on data submitted by retail companies, which reported their highest year for sales.

In 2012, according to the report, the convenience store industry posted record sales of $700.3 billion. In-store sales increased 2.2% to reach $199.3 billion, and motor fuels sales increased 2.9% to $501 billion, both record tallies. Convenience store pretax profits also hit a record with $7.2 billion in 2012, but taken as a percentage of total sales, profits only moved from 1.027% to 1.028% of total sales.

According to the NACS study, in-store sales growth last year was driven by double-digit gains in several subcategories, including alternative snacks (12.2%), which include meat snacks, along with health, energy and protein bars. Other subcategories are liquor (11.6%), cold dispensed beverages (11.3%) and sweet snacks (10.3%).